Lyon v. Paramount Global

Nature of the order

This is a notice of reassignment and case-management order. The opinion does not address the merits of Jennifer Lyon’s claims against Paramount Global, formerly known as ViacomCBS Inc., or the other defendants.

Reassignment and existing schedule

Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke stated that the case had been reassigned to her. Unless the court ordered otherwise, all earlier orders, dates, and deadlines would remain in effect. This included a status conference scheduled for December 14, 2023, at 11:30 a.m., to be held before Judge Clarke through Microsoft Teams. Counsel were directed to familiarize themselves with the judge’s individual rules and practices.

Required joint letter

The court ordered the parties to file a joint letter on the electronic docket no later than August 10, 2023. The letter could not exceed five pages, although an appendix containing lengthy jurisdictional information would not count toward the limit. The parties were required to address:

- Counsel names and current contact information; - The nature of the case, principal defenses, and important legal and factual issues; - The basis for federal jurisdiction and venue, including citizenship information required for diversity jurisdiction; - Existing deadlines and cutoff dates; - Previously scheduled conferences that had not occurred; - Outstanding motions and the relief requested; - Pending appeals; - Discovery completed and discovery still needed for meaningful settlement discussions; - The status of prior settlement discussions without listing exact offers or demands; - Discussions about alternative dispute resolution, including a settlement conference, the district’s mediation program, or a private mediator; - The estimated trial length; and - Any other information that could help move the case toward settlement or trial.

If the case had already been settled or otherwise terminated, counsel did not have to file the letter or appear at the conference if proof of termination was filed on the docket before the deadline.

Extensions and postponements

The court stated that requests to extend a deadline or postpone a conference could be made only by a letter-motion filed electronically and received at least 48 hours before the deadline or conference. The request had to identify the original and requested new dates, prior requests and their outcomes, the reason for the request, the opposing party’s position, and, when applicable, the next scheduled court appearance. Unless the court notified counsel that a conference had been postponed, it would occur as scheduled.

Disposition

Judge Clarke entered the reassignment and case-management directives described above. The opinion does not state that the court granted or denied any merits-based motion, and it does not resolve the underlying case.